Notes 3

Matt shook his head. “I have run across a lot of evil men in my life, but I don’t know that I’ve ever encountered so many that it was hard to decide
who among them was the worst.” “Kennedy and O’Neil got it for five hundred dollars? The stock alone is worth more than twenty thousand and
the ranch is at least another ten thousand. And they got it all for five hundred?” Art asked. Spur and Latigo Ranch “I wonder if Gabe Short knows
about this,” Lisa asked later that day when Hugh told her what he had learned from Art. “Gabe Short?” “He’s Mary Ella’s brother. Don’t you
remember? He lives in St. Louis.” “Yes, I had forgotten about that. Mary Ella did have a brother, but they were estranged, weren’t they?” “They
had been for some time, but Mary Ella told me that she and her brother had recently made up.” “I wonder why he didn’t come to the funeral.” “I
don’t think anybody knew about him but me, and in all the confusion I forgot to get in touch with him.” “Do you know how to contact him?” “I
think so. Mary Ella said he was a dispatcher for the Missouri Pacific Railroad in St. Louis. It shouldn’t be that difficult to find him.” “I think it might
be a good idea to send him a telegram. There has to be some way to overturn that tax lien, and I know that Jim had no living relatives so, by
rights, the Circle Dot should belong to Mary Ella’s brother.” * * * The very next day Matt was in the sheriff’s office when Kenny Kern came in.
Fourteen years old, he was a delivery boy for Western Union. “This here telegram is for you, Sheriff.” “Thanks, Kenny,” Matt said, giving the boy
half a dollar. Kenny smiled happily. “Thanks! Most of the time I’d have to deliver ten telegrams to get this much.” “Wait. I might need to send a
return telegram.” “All right.” Matt read the telegram.
• MET STOP GABE SHORT Matt penned a quick response. You will be met by Matt Jensen. “Send
this.” He gave Kenny the message and another dollar to send it. * * * Two days later Matt was
on the depot platform when the train arrived at Bitter Creek. It wasn’t difficult to pick out the
man he was to meet as only one passenger, a relatively short, thin man with glasses, left the
train. “Mr. Short?” he asked, approaching him. “Yes, are you Matt Jensen?” “I am. I brought a
buckboard. As soon as we get your luggage we’d better get started. We won’t get there until
tomorrow afternoon.” During the long drive back, Matt filled Gabe in on the situation,
explaining the circumstances of the deaths of Jim and Mary Ella as well as the claim being made
by Kennedy and O’Neil that they now owned the Circle Dot. “By rights that ranch belongs to
you,” Matt said. “And Hugh Conway and his wife, who were very good friends to Jim and your
sister, think you should fight for it.” “Oh, by fighting, I certainly hope you don’t mean anything
physical,” Gabe said. “It may come to that,” Matt said. “But if it does, you’ll have friends. In the
meantime, you’ll be staying with the Conways. That’s where we’re going now.” * * * The day
following Gabe Short’s arrival, Hugh decided to take a ride around his ranch. It had become his
practice to circumnavigate his ranch at least twice a day—to check the location of all his horses,
and more important to check the status of the fence line. As long as fence integrity was
maintained, there was little danger of any of his stock wandering off or being stolen. Happily,
there had been no depredation of his horses since Matt Jensen had arrived.